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State after state of the United States of America are falling like dominos to get in on the blood thirsty torturing and killing of the gray wolves...Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Alaska, Wisconsin, MInnesota, and now Michigan is considering it. Controversy continues to surround a proposed bill legalizing gray wolf hunting in Michigan.

We have to stop the growing insanity that is permeating the United States today where there is a real growing vendetta for killing gray wolves to drive them to extinction, driven by ranchers, farmers, trophy hunters, and sportsmen.. Wolves are the icon of America which represent the American wilderness, not bloody bodies lying in the snow staining the snow red. The first of these crimes against wolves was the delisting of wolves as an endangered species by the Federal Government through the Department of the Interior and Fish and Wildlife Service. Think about this: domestic dogs are descended from what? WOLVES!! If someone were trying to kill your dog, wouldn't you step in to help your animal? Dogs are descendants of the majestic wolf. We can't stand by while wolves are being slaughtered on our public lands and driven once again into extinction.

On August 15, 2011, Michigan State Representative Matt Huuki sneakily pushed through a bill delisting wolves in Michigan on a rider on the BACK OF A MUST-PASS BUDGET BILL! The proposed bill would allow hunting of gray wolves in Michigan, previously protected by the Endangered Species Act, effectively giving no federal protection to wolves and granting each state the right to "manage" wolves as the state sees fit. Since the time of the delisting, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Alaska, Wisconsin and Minnesota, among others, have legalized wolf hunting, even stating wolves are vermin! In Michigan there still exists the question of the necessity of making the wolf a game species.

Keith Creaugh, newly appointed director of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, has announced his support for the proposal. Creaugh says the hunt is one way to reduce the number of destroyed livestock, otherwise known as depredation.
"History shows us if you make a species a game species, that actually allows for a more effective management of that species," said Creaugh. According to Creaugh, Michigan's approach to approving a wolf hunt will have a scientific basis. "We'll work with the legislature to identify wolves as a game species," Creaugh said. "But it's a Natural Resources Commission that actually makes the decision, because of Proposal G, does a scientific management report along with the department; so ours will be different than Wisconsin's and we'll be more targeted and focused."

If and when the proposal is approved by the state legislature, the DNR will set guidelines for hunting the species.
A DNR study last year revealed less than 700 wolves are involved in this issue , a number that worries some conservationists like Nancy Warren. "First I think this legislation is being driven by FEAR (emphasis added) and misunderstanding," said Warren. Warren is the Great Lakes Director of the National Wolf Watcher Coalition, and she, along with other researchers, provided recommendations included in the DNR's Wolf Management Plan issued in 2010.

Warren says hunting the animals may back-fire, based on DNR statistics that show only FOUR instances of verified depredation events caused by wolves in 2012.

"If now we start killing these wolves that have not caused depredation, then you could potentially cause an increase in depredation because of disruption in a pack," explained Warren. For her part, Warren says she will continue to educate the public on wolves.

Meanwhile the bill is currently pending decision.

We implore you to not pass the bill allowing wolves to be classified as game; please do not issue the rules concerning the killing, please do not issue licenses to kill wolves, and do not issue any quotas at all. Michigan has a great reputation in its wolf management using a forum group and scientific evidence. Please continue your good work by not allowing a wolf hunt. Instead, please consider moving them to such states as Colorado wherein elk are overpopulated, and elk are one of the wolves' prey or an other solution besides a massacre.

As the leader of this petition, could you please contact me at 505-890-1887 to keep me apprised of your decision?

Sincerely,
Carole Altendorf

Signed,

Carole Altendorf

This petition closed almost 5 years ago

How this will help

State after state of the United States of America. are falling like dominos to get in on the blood thirsty torturing and killing of the gray wolves. We have the opportunity to stop Michigan from...

State after state of the United States of America. are falling like dominos to get in on the blood thirsty torturing and killing of the gray wolves. We have the opportunity to stop Michigan from joining the fray and list wolves as game and be killed on sight. This is NOT wolf management. This is a blood thirsty blood bath caused by fear and created by rancher, farmers and trophy hunters. Please put an end to this insanity!